Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said the government is determined to protect mental health of the people through proactive action and far reaching reforms.In a message on World Mental Health Day falling on October 10, he said legislation and policy making on mental health issues need to be pursued with utmost dedication for protection of rights of the mentally ill people.Similarly, conducive environment has to be developed for the entire society to minimize tensions and worries, he said adding, “the day draws our attention to the state of mental health across the globe.”Gilani said the day serves to highlight issues related to the mental health besides encouraging open discussion on the mental disorders.
“Globalization is putting the social cohesion of many countries under stress, while the health systems are clearly not performing as well as they could and as they should,” he said adding people are increasingly suffering from mental disorders owing to socio-economic strains.
He said the phenomenon of mental health cannot be seen in isolation of physical health as both are intertwined.
He regretted that mental health issues did not deserve the kind of societal importance and policy response at the official levels, which it deserved.
A society, which is not physically and mentally fit, cannot cope with the challenges of the contemporary world, he stressed.
He said the people suffering from mental disorders and illness deserve to be given humane treatment and need to be treated with respect and honour.
Their integration into the mainstream can play a major role in their rehabilitation and this calls for investment in prevention and treatment services, he said adding such a campaign should be geared to making people change their attitudes towards mentally ill patients and encourage community participation and resource mobilization for this cause.
The Prime Minister said it is also the responsibility of society’s leaders to help reduce the incidents and happenings, which cause mental disorder.
